Hi there, it's your favorite media critic, Maryland J. Koba, back from a nice summer at the New Pacifica beach. I guess now that the new TV season has started, it's time to start earning my spirulina. So, here we go with the first review of the new season:
As the saying goes, "no news is good news". It should be amended to read "no Good News is good." All we kept saying during the entire program was "UPN cancelled Homeboys In Outer Space for this??"
Good News is an urban comedy set in a church in
an inner-city, with an idealistic young pastor, a smart-mouthed secretary,
a custodian who TALKS ONLY IN A LOUD VOICE and is supposed
to be the comic relief, and a girl with very bad taste in men who
seems to be dating the custodian. She must be desperate.
Now, maybe it's just because I'm a Koba, but I don't understand these
urban comedies. Maybe if it was a comedy set in a desert, with an
idealistic young Koba who was picked up by a bunch of wayward humans...
But I digress.
Rockmond Dunbar played the leader of the "Boulevard Gang", the local bunch of gangstas who decorated the church wall with graffiti. The Reverend didn't want to see their artwork, so he was determined to paint it. Everyone tells him it's a bad idea, but he does it anyway. Then, on comes our boy Rockmond. He was playing a character called "Bones" - naturally! After all, everyone knows that dogs love Bones! Right, Echo? Bones threatens the Rev, disses the cute girl, and flashes a gun at the custodian. Oooh, tough guy. Well, the Rev and his friends paint over the graffiti anyway. Real bad idea. The lack of graffiti causes the gang to threaten the congregation, most of whom don't show up for Sunday services. Instead, Bones and the Boulevard Gang strut into the church and take over. I was waiting for him to lick the Rev's hand, like Clancy did in the European version of Highlander. Well, Rockmond starts preaching from the "Book of Bones" (Echo's favorite part of the Bible?) Until the congregation walks in behind them RIGHT ON CUE. Eventually, the Reverend's preaching makes some of the ganstas see the Light, and the Rev asks them to turn in their weapons. Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition! The only humorous part of the whole show was that the weapons kept getting bigger and more deadly. One guy turned in a shotgun, a huge pipe, and a hand grenade. Then, the basket came to Bones. He pulls out... a magpro! No kiddin'! (Actually, our research department informs me that it was a rocket-powered grenade launcher, but magpro is easier to say) I find it hard to believe that Baines would give up his magpro for anything or anyone - except Denner.
Like I said, I just don't get these "urban comedies". I found it distinctly UNfunny. The jokes about the secretary's age were tacky, the choir was lip-synching badly, and the Reverend was less than inspirational. Rockmond is no longer sporting the Michael Jordan look - he's grown hair and a beard. I almost didn't recognize him! Unfortunately, his part was too small to be more than a stereotype.
In conclusion, I give Good News one hand grenade out of five. And please, someone pull the pin before you give it to the Reverend? And PRAISE GAAL that KOBA-TV watches these shows so you don't have to.
Back to the KOBA-TV Home Page